Shortgrain

Here you'll spot a two-hatted chef working the rice cooker and score lunch for under $20. Seem too good to be true? Don't bother looking for a catch at this canteen - seek the menu, where flavours zap, zing, crackle and knock you out like a comic-book punch. Chilli use can hit kapow levels, too. The superhero is Martin Boetz - he's made this a budget-friendly offshoot to his acclaimed Longrain restaurant. Sweet ribs get a sidekick of zippy pickled vegetables, while a stir-fry of mushrooms, Thai basil and chilli jam makes for a strong alliance. A tropical fruit tapioca is a good ally, too.